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Category Archives: UNESCO world heritage

The Irrawady river in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is the country’s largest river flowing from North to South and also a commercial waterway. Yes, the country flourishes along its banks. What better way to experience Myanmar. Towards the latter part of the Monsoon, we embarked on a 3 night cruise on the river on board The Strand.

The Strand on the Ayeyarwady

In Part 1 of this blog series we explored the U-Bein bridge in Mandalay. In Part 2 of this blog series we explored the township of Mingun in the Mandalay region. In Part 3, we continued our exploration of Mandalay with a shore expedition to Innwa also called as Ava. Here we cruise on the Irrawady and arrive at the shores of Bagan, another reason why Myanmar is on the world tourist map.

After an early start to the day in Innwa followed by shore excursions, rest of the day was reserved for cruising downstream along the Irrawady river within the Mandalay region. It gave us a glimpse in to the daily life of people working in the water and along the shores of the river. Along the way, the cruise personnel kept us busy with activities like applying Tanaka on each other, different ways of tying a Longyi and of course a sumptuous high tea. The Longyi is a fantastic alternative to the trouser – During formal occassions let it down, during emergencies when one has to wade through water or slush, just lift it up and tie it around your waist. Its a fabulous utility attire. The same attire is called Lungi / Khaili and is worn extensively across the southern states of India.

While on the cruise from Innwa to Bagan, one is treated to views of life along the shores of the Irrawady. Every little village has its own humble Paya, Tugs carrying timber, Livestock and of course a glorious sunset view every single day.

Mid Day activities on board the Strand cruise to keep the guests busy plus give them an introduction to the daily lives of Myanmarese like tying the lawngyi and applying Tanaka.

The Kingdom of Bagan

Bagan’s glories stretched from the 9th to the 13th century under the Pagan Kingdom. The Kingdom is largely credited for unifying the various regions that make up the modern day Myanmar. During this period the Kingdom is said to have constructed over 10,000 religious monuments. These monuments also served as centre for studies and attracted Monks and Students from nearby countries. Given that the same period also saw influence of Hindu civilization stretch towards south east asian countries of Cambodia and Vietnam, Myanmar too must have benefited from the Trade, Economics and spiritual wisdom of Ancient India.

Around 2000 of these temples remain. Earthquakes have been responsible for bringing down many of them. Lack of restoration expertise has led to shoddy reconstruction using modern materials. The price being paid – Inspite of such a rich past, Bagan is yet to get declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This, despite being a strong contender and thousands of tourists descending in to experience this heritage.

Shwegugyi, ThatByinnyu, Dhammayangyi and HtiloMinlo temple

Shwegugyi means “the Golden Cave” in Myanmar. t was built by King Alaungsithu in 1140 A.D. There is a legend saying, that there was a huge block of brick about 12 feet high sprouted from the ground in response to the king’s greatness of accumulated merit. So with the huge block of brick, formed the plinth in the formation of the temple. It was mentioned that the Shwegugyi was completed in 7 months and 7 days. (Courtesy : http://bagan.travelmyanmar.net)Thatbyinnyu is Bagan’s tallest temple at almost 200 ft. (or 61 m.; some indicate 217 ft. or 66 m.) and represents a transition from the Mon period to a new architectural style that would soon be followed at the Sulamani, the Gawdawpalin and at Htilominlo. Constructed during one of the high points of Bagan political power and during a period of re-dedication to Theravada Buddhism and religious scholarship, it reflected that era’s innovative architectural and artistic creativity. Paul Strachan, the important Bagan scholar, calls Thatbyinnyu “an expression of the self-confident Burmese spirit of nationhood.” (Courtesy : http://www.orientalarchitecture.com)The Dhammayangyi (or Dhamma-yan-gyi) Pahto, extending approximately 255 feet (78 m) on each of its four sides, is Bagan’s most massive shrine. As much as it is huge in its appearance, there is still considerable amount of controversy regarding the identity of its builder. Ghastly events are said to have been inflicted on its alleged builder who didnt exactly lead a life of virtue (Courtesy – http://www.orientalarchitecture.com)he Htilominlo Pahto was built by King Nandaungmya (r. 1211-c.1230 AD) early in his reign to commemorate his selection on this spot as crown prince from among five sons of the king. The white umbrella had tilted toward him, and he became his father’s successor. (Courtesy – http://www.orientalarchitecture.com) Right in front of the Htilominlo is a narrow entrance which took us to a terrace from where we could get a panoramic view of Bagan’s Temple landscape. The terracota structures set amidst greenery is a photographers’ delight.

The Ananda Phaya Temple – Bagan. A strong influence of Indian Architecture from many temples of Bengal and Orissa is very clear.The Ananda temple was built in the year 1105. The Buddhist temple houses four standing Buddhas, each one facing the cardinal direction of East, North, West and South. The temple is said to be an architectural wonder in a fusion of Mon and adopted Indian style of architecture. The Archeological survey of India collaborated extensively with Myanmar and provided assistance for Structural Conservation and Chemical preservation of the Ananda Phaya Temple.The Shwezigon Paya (pagoda, stupa or zedi), is one of the Bagan area’s, and Myanmar’s, most significant religious structures.It truly is a ‘national’ pagoda, since it served as a prototype for many later stupas built throughout Myanmar. The Shwezigon is also a major national center of worship. Pilgrims come from many parts of Myanmar for its festival held during the Burmese month of Nadaw (November/December) both because of its historic character and because of its religious significance for Burmese Buddhism. It is said to be one of the earliest symbols of the triumph of the purified ‘Theravada Buddhism’. Courtesy – http://www.orientalarchitectures.comThe Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan has a very simple representation of the Four sights that led Siddhartha, the Prince on his road to becoming Gautama. An old Man speaking about the consequences of aging, A sick man suffering from disease and pain, Sight of a Dead body and finally the sight of an ascetic who devoted himself to find out the cause for human suffering.The interior of the Kubyauk-gyi is filled with numerous mural paintings, including an excellent representation of “The Temptation of Mara” behind the east-facing Buddha, and 544 jataka tales along the side walls and ambulatory. However, a number of the jataka plates are missing as they were plundered in 1899 by a German art thief, Th. H. Thomann, who inaugurated the grim tradition of modern-day looting to resell Bagan-era antiquities on the international market. Although Thomann and his team were caught by the local British authorities, a number of items reached Europe where they were acquired by Museum of Hamburg in 1906, though they have subsequently gone missing. Perhaps because of the heightened awareness surrounding art theft at Kubyauk-Gyi, the temple retains a full-time guard who also ensures that visitors refrain from photographing the murals. Although this a sensible precaution as flash photography easily damages Bagan-era pigment, the prohibition also extends to long-exposure photography using ambient light (Image and Text courtesy – http://www.orientalarchitectures.com). Some of these murals have been whitewashed and unravelling these Murals by getting done with the whitewash without damaging the Murals is proving to be an ordeal.

Lacquerware in Myanmar

Myanmar is well known for its Lacquerware works. Transcends from trinkets, personal accessories to decorative pieces. A family business by name Bagan Lacquer House has a workshop where one can watch the craftsment at work and also an inhouse store to pick up a few items for personal use or gifting.

This is a Must see for all those visiting Bagan. Nominally priced there are numerous gifiting options. The process starts with the Inner shell being made with Bamboo followed by lacquering the interior and covering it with “Thayo” a made resin paste with lacquer and mixed ashes. This work is in general carried out with the hand (or with very fine gloves). When an application is made on the mould in bamboo, one must then dry it in an obscure and wet place. The duration of drying is of approximately a week. Once finished drying, the lacquers carefully are washed and sandpapered if necessary. This stage is important for the quality of the future lacquer. After the first drying, one carefully sandpapers the object, one washes it, then one passes by again, the second layer and one turns over to drying. The object thus makes several outward journey and return with the warehouse of drying. Each time it thus receives a new layer of lacquer. It is only on the last layer that one colours.Engraving is done with free hands, without model, entirely of memory, directly with naked hands, using a stylet and of a brush.

We end our cruise on The Strand in Bagan and fly out to experience the capital city of Yangon.

Getting to Myanmar

Travelling to Myanmar is now a breeze. Number of airlines fly in to Yangon with a single stop at any popular hub. Mandalay and Bagan are well connected from Yangon.

Air India offers twice a week flight between Kolkata and Yangon on Saturdays and Mondays. Its a surprise that the two countries which share such a common heritage still dont have good direct connectivity.

Tourists can check visa requirements on The Myanmar eVisa website. This is a government website and one can apply online for an e-visa. Check out for countries for whom Visa is provided on arrival. Indians can now apply for visa upon arrival. A recent government order to this effect. However, as a travel best practice it is always wise to utilize the e-visa facility offered. One however has to be careful while entering the passport details in to the Visa application form. Mismatch very clearly results in deportation.

The Irrawady river in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is the country’s largest river flowing from North to South and also a commercial waterway. Yes, the country flourishes along its banks. What better way to experience Myanmar. Towards the latter part of the Monsoon, we embarked on a 3 night cruise on the river on board The Strand.

The Strand on the Ayeyarwady

In Part 1 of this blog series we explored the U-Bein bridge in Mandalay. In Part 2 of this blog series we explored the township of Mingun in the Mandalay region. We continue our exploration of Mandalay with a shore expedition to Innwa also called as Ava

Creating Travel Experiences in #Myanmar

As we wound up our excursion in Mingun, the Strand Cruise team helped us to our rooms, introduced us to the staff on board, amenities available and ensured that we got comfortable with the facilities. The ever smiling staff accompany you during excursions with a picnic basket containing refreshments, wet towels as it can get extremely sweaty after monsoons and during summers and upon return to the boat you just feel like gulping all the cold drinks on offer. The staff request you to place your sandals which are cleaned off the mud and delivered outside your room. Comfortable slippers are provided to walk around inside the cruise boat.

After a long day in Mingun, we continued 35 kms along the Irrawady river and halt for the night on the banks of the Ancient Capital City of Innwa or Ava as it was called when it was the seat of the Burmese Empire. The empire lasted over 360 years between 1365 to 1842 on 5 separate occassions.

Tourism has provided the residents of these towns a wonderful opportunity to talk about their country, listen and understand what Tourists expect and ensure they carry home wonderful stories. Out of the moored Cruise boat in the morning, we board Horse carts to take us through the narrow and rain washed streets of Innwa to various places of interest. While it may seem like a very uni-dimensional way to travel, Myanmar will slowly but surely bring in experiences even to the smallest of monuments / destinations. However this opportunity we got was to explore a raw country which had just opened up. No sanitised experiences as of now like in Singapore, Malaysia and other SE Asian counterparts.

Based on interactions with locals during his journeys in Burma, Robert Bruce Thurber in his book In the Land of the Pagodas (Paya as referred by the locals) gives the probable reason for many Pagodas lying in a state of repair. It is believed that no merit accrues to anyone who repairs a Pagoda, except those of great note, repair-merit going to the original build. We really dont know if this is now a business of the state or Myanmar has transcended these beliefs.

Wingaba, a square shaped Monastery is a deviation from the standard spire shaped Pagodas one regularly finds. Looking in dire need of maintenance, the flat roof seems to have remnants of spires that have collapsed. Insides of the Monastery have stairs to provide access to the topThe Myint Mo Thaung is a Circular shaped Pagoda or Paya as it is called locally, with a staircase on the outside leading to the top. Seems a simple climb from outside but tests your lungs first thing in the morning. Nevertheless, the views of the countryside from the top are stunning. The rains leave a marshy pathway to be negotiated carefully.The spired stupa is the Lawka Dawtha Man Aung Pagoda. The Pagoda encloses a small shrine with a statue of Buddha in a small building nearby. The Pagodas house relics but not always one is able to find original relics and house them. Many Pagodas have housed replica of the relics and have drawn the faithful.

The Yedanasini Temple

The temple in Innwa is in a state of ruin yet looks spectacular. The temple is said to have been build way back in the year 1820’s/1830’s. A major Earthquake in the year 1839 brought down the temple to its current state.

The Yedanasini temple is probably among all the well photographed temples in Myanmar. Set amidst thick countryside vegetation, the brick monument stands out in contrast in terms of color values.The complex houses the remnants of a triad of Buddha statues in good condition. These images have graced the pages of many travel magazines. Assembly halls with multiple bays, windows and columns are said to be thematically similar to Siamese assembly halls of Ayutthaya (Courtesy – http://www.orientalarchitecture.com)

The Leader

The people of Myanmar have shown tremendous grit and have survived numerous crises as they transitioned from Freedom – Military Rule – Democracy. Daw Aung Sang Suu Kyi has been at the forefront of this transition. Respect to her is played out at almost all the places that we travelled to.

Suu Kyi also referred to as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi apart from being a Pro-democracy leader who has led her country on the path of democracy is also a source of inspiration for her countrymen. Youngest daughter of Aung San who died aged 32, she has battled hard to ensure that her countrymen are able to savor the freedom that democracy offers. She currently holds the post of a State Councillor which is equivalent to the post of a Prime Minister.

Maha Aung Mye Bonzan Monastery

Probably the best preserved monastery, one that survived the great earthquake of 1839 and subsequently got the attention it deserved towards re-building. This monastery is said to have been constructed by a queen for the Royal Priest.

The monastery is a brick replica of typical wooden monasteries of that period.
Constructed on a large base course / foundation with Masonry stairs, there are a total of 8 stairs leading to the shrine which is recognized by the Pyathat – a multi staged roof with an odd number of tiers. Within the monastery, there are living quarters for Monks along with a classroom; On the same level are the Royal Priests’ residence and Buddha’s image chambers. There are two sets of Perimeter corridors within the main Monastery. While walking through the corridors, it provides perfectly habitable weather with no requirement for any artificial lighting and ventilation. Today the monastery is no longer inhabited but is maintained in good condition. (Courtesy – http://www.orientalarchitecture.com)Chinthes are Leogryphs or Lion like creatures seen at the entrances of Pagodas and temples in Buddhist countries in the region. The chinthe is revered and loved by the Burmese people and is used symbolically on the royal thrones of Burma. Predating the use of coins for money, brass weights cast in the shape of mythical beasts like the chinthe were commonly used to measure standard quantities of staple items.The Chinthes seen here are at the entrance to the Maha Aung Mye Bonzan Monastery.

Moving on from Mandalay, our cruise set sail towards another ancient capital city of Bagan.

Getting to Myanmar

Travelling to Myanmar is now a breeze. Number of airlines fly in to Yangon with a single stop at any popular hub. Mandalay and Bagan are well connected from Yangon.

Air India offers twice a week flight between Kolkata and Yangon on Saturdays and Mondays. Its a surprise that the two countries which share such a common heritage still dont have good direct connectivity.

Tourists can check visa requirements on The Myanmar eVisa website. This is a government website and one can apply online for an e-visa. Check out for countries for whom Visa is provided on arrival. Indians can now apply for visa upon arrival. A recent government order to this effect. However, as a travel best practice it is always wise to utilize the e-visa facility offered. One however has to be careful while entering the passport details in to the Visa application form. Mismatch very clearly results in deportation.

Rajasthan is a popular destination India that gets extensive coverage in foreign countries. Palaces, Desert Camping, Festive colors, Safaris, Fairs, Religious circuits; the state packages everything that ‘The Land’ has to offer. Rajasthan has one of the best road and air connectivity in the country and tempts many in to taking road trips across the state. The blog below, authored by my daughter Rashmi, seeks to capture the beauty of Rajasthan through her eyes and words. The trip was organized towards the closing stages of the tourist season in the month of March. The weather is warmer than usual during the day but the evenings are pleasant with the hangover of winter. This road trip across Rajasthan was done over a period of 7 Nights and 8 Days.

In Part 1 of the road trip, we covered Udaipur. Udaipur to Jodhpur is a 260 Km (161 miles) drive via NH8 and NH65 taking approximately 4 hrs and 30 mins. Jodhpur is the “Sun City”, second largest city in Rajasthan and served as the seat of the erstwhile Marwar Kingdom.

Day 3 – The Drive to Jodhpur

We started off early by saying bye to the Ramada resort, and drove down from Udaipur to Jodhpur. It was a 5-hour drive which was long yet comfortable because of the smooth and single roads along with the good highways. It was easy also because of the 3 stops we had in-between.

Our first stop in-between the journey to Jodhpur was DevShree in Deogarh. It is a boutique homestay. Owned by Mr Shatrunjay Singh and Mrs Bhavna Kumari, this is a small yet elegant property with currently 7 rooms. Inspite of a small amount of rooms, this homestay provides top-class facilities with excellent and spacious rooms. It is an amazing place for a mini getaway. The environment here consists of a lake, trees, birds including peacocks. You can eat food that feels like its home-cooked and experience a heritage stay. In today’s generation, such home stays are coming up rapidly and they are a must-visit. We had lunch here and spent time chit-chatting with the owners who have a charming personality as they were related to some of our old friends.

Devisee Deogarh. A Heritage Home Stay with views of the Mehrangarh Fort

The interiors of Devisree Deogarh

Interesting artifacts and snacks, of course

We next had a short stop for a property visit in Rohetgarh. This is also a nice place which is a heritage garden resort, situated in the outskirts of Jodhpur. It has got a very rural and rustic flavor and serves as a good base for travellers in the outskirts of the Jodhpur city, wanting to travel in the city.

The Home Stay – RohetGarh in Ranakpur

We finally ended our drive by arriving into the city of Jodhpur and staying for 2 nights at a heritage homestay know as Ratanvilas. This place may be small and simple but the staff are extremely warm and helpful. The food here is simple and delicious. The property also includes a swimming pool that is set in a garden surrounded by a number of plants and flowers. It is a very peaceful place providing all facilities except for the wifi in rooms but in the common area. It is a very good choice for a short stay of maybe 2 nights in Jodhpur..

A Well laid out Meal to end the day

Day 4 – Exploring the Sun City

This was the second day of our stay in Jodhpur. Again, a fresh new day with good breakfast and a day full of hotel visits and city sightseeing.

After breakfast, me and my mother first went to the Mehrangarh Fort which is one of the largest forts of India. It was built around 1460 by Rao Jodha and is made up of thick and strong walls. It is also very high. This place is a very good place to know about the ancient Rajput period.

Entrance to Mehrangarh – Welcome by Lord Ganesh

This place displays a variety of artifacts, paintings and royal objects obtained from the Rajput period. There are several galleries in this fort, that give us information on different things in the empire. One of them was the “Palanquins”- royal means of travel, usually used for the queens and princesses of the royal family, to travel from one place to another. They are also known as “palkis”. Another gallery displayed the armour used in the Rajput period by the soldiers and the kings. They look amazing, as they protect the person (who is wearing it) from being injured by any kind of explosive or harmful objects used by the enemy.

The external Facade of the fort and view of Jodhpur

Another gallery displayed the different paintings made by the nobles and other people during that period. They are fascinating and may be better than the paintings of today’s generation, as they are intricate and display moments that took place in the royal court. Each painting here displays a story or function taking place. This gallery also displays pictures(or I would say real diagrams) showing, how the brushes and paints were made during this period. There were many such more galleries in this fort displaying the other artifacts of this period. This is a wonderful place to visit and it is clean and well maintained. You can also view the “blue-city” from here and buy souvenirs in the Mehrangarh Fort Shop, having mugs, t-shirts and other interesting things related to the royal family of Jodhpur.

The Devi Murals at Mehrangarh

We then visited a luxury resort-Raas Haveli, a 5-star resort facing the Mehrangarh fort. This place has a romantic setting and is extremely peaceful, unlike the other rajasthani hotels who have cultural performances every evening and are very lively. This place is having a natural environment and is very calm. The staff are very kind and willing to serve and this place is most visited by foreigners. You will not find any board throughout the property, including the entrance, because the owners want their guests to feel as if they are staying at their home and not any hotel or resort.

RaasHaveli of Jodhpur

After that, we bought some kachori and lassi in a famous snack shop on the way, and went back to the hotel, as it was getting very hot and I got a slight headache. After a short break in the afternoon, we went out to explore the local markets of jodhpur. These markets are extremely lively, as they are selling all kinds of things, which are bought by the locals at all times of the day. The markets are very long and never ending! You will find the saris, kurtas, western dresses and the traditional suites having the “ghotapatti” (glass like work on cloth materials) work on them, in a separate side. The crockery and cooking utensils are sold on another side of the market. These markets are crowded and big, but they are worth visiting!

Getting there – Jodhpur too is now connected via Air. Currently flights to Jodhpur originate only from Mumbai. Jet Airways and Air India are the only airlines offering connectivity, often with a hop at Udaipur or Jaipur. Jodhpur also has a railhead and Indian Railways offers convenient overnight trains from Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.

Coimbatore has popularly been called the Textile Capital of India, Manchester of South India; That is now all set to be challenged. A Construction boom, Education, Retail and India’s services main stay – IT are fast altering the landscape and demographics of Coimbatore. Growing connectivity to India’s capital cities, Proximity to Kerala, gateway to Ooty access to the biodiversity of the UNESCO World heritage western ghats and a tolerable climate have made Coimbatore an attractive location for elders to begin their post-retirement Journey of life.

Elderly above 60 years constitute about 8% of India’s population; increasing life expectancy (currently at 69.1 years), a fragile pension system, children working overseas or in metro cities, spouseless retirees and access to quality healthcare are pushing the elderly to plan for their twilight years. It is in this context that Retirement homes are gaining in popularity and Coimbatore is being marketed as the perfect place to spend one’s twilight years.

One of the retirement homes that i visited, where my uncle and aunt live, is located 11 miles/18 kms from Coimbatore’s airport and about 8 kms from the heart of the city. The Gated community is a combination of Villas and apartments, each of them designed to accommodate the needs of the elderly – convenient access, ramps, natural lighting, clean surroundings, secure gated premises and defect free walkways. Each residential unit has all the regular conveniences of 3 phased electricity, Internet connections , fresh water and all the essentials that they may have been used to outside the gates of the community.

Well laid out lanes of Apartments and Row houses or Villas

An interesting aspect of these homes is the size of the kitchen; Just small enough to fit a person, house a small pantry and keep essentials stored. For all the other regular meals, one walks to the community dining room which is attached to a Hot Kitchen where meals are freshly cooked. For the old and infirm, for an additional fee, Coffee thermos flasks and meals are delivered at one’s doorstep. All that one has to do after consumption is to clean the utensils and place them back to enable the next service. Community dining rooms resemble a hostel mess where the elders use it as a great opportunity to network, backslap and share stories. Army men (I met a 1977 Bangladesh war retired Brigadier), corporate retirees, Public sector pensioners, bankers, housewives, retired teachers, Elders with unique talents all seem to have found a great way to channel their inner selves. No more running around for groceries, fruits, vegetables and other essentials; just walk in have a hygienic meal served on a banana leaf and walk out. The service providers keep themselves up to date on the medical condition of the residents, religious preferences and nutrition needs. All this is incorporated in a daily menu put up on a notice board which in turn becomes a great topic to discuss likes and dislikes. As far as dining is concerned, the service provider decides the menu and accommodates dishes suiting all palates but the feedback register does contain complaints and notes that reflect irritation.

Dining area and the Kitchen. Thoughtful and hygeinic service

Apart from the dining area, residents congregate in the temple within the premises, A reading room cum library, tables set out for a game of cards/carrom, a Gym and a meditation hall. Every festival and residents’ wedding anniversaries, birthdays are celebrated with great enthusiasm. Priests are always available to conduct religious ceremonies for families or en masse. Occasionally kith and kin come calling and they are either accommodated in the guest rooms or within their tenements with just the boarding expenses being paid for. On other occasions, they remain in touch over Skype, FaceTime, WhatsApp and other modern means of communication.

Community spaces – Dining, Praying, Reading and Relaxing

Coimbatore has built a reputation for providing excellent medical care and the city has many functioning multi-speciality hospitals. At the community, a resident doctor and a 24 hour Nurse ensure Primary Medical care and provide the required assurance to the sick. Periodic visits by diabetologists, Dentists, Cardiac specialists provide the residents with opportunities to understand their conditions better.

The luxury Theatre, Modern Gym, Meditation Hall and a Buggy to get around

There are people who still struggle to cope with their new environs. The residents are predominantly Tamil speaking and non-Tamil speakers find it a huge challenge to mingle. Elders with recently deceased spouses too find it a challenge to live alone despite being in a community; The community becomes the cushion and lends a shoulder to lean on. It is crushing to see elders cope with personal tragedies and disabilities without the presence of kith and kin, but with fellow elders stepping in to those roles, coping hopefully is a lot more easier. As we in the IT industry talk about faceless remote support, need of the hour for everyone is, Emotional Support! The elders who i met and spoke with were hugely proud of their children and their achievements and were at ease in explaining their choice of living on their own, but no one knows what lies beneath. I felt that they were all hoping that they are well understood, nothing more!

Outside this world, at a distance of 4 miles/6 kms is located the temple precinct of Marudhamalai. The temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga (Lord of the Hills), son of Lord Siva. The temple is situated at the foot of the misty Western ghats and offers spectacular views of Coimbatore. The temple finds mention in the Skandapuran (A Hindu Religious text) and is the place where Lord Muruga, upon directions of his father, vanquished a demon by name Surapadma and restored order. The temple premises is well maintained and access to it is either via steps or a motor able road to the base of the temple. Shops selling offerings, snack counters, prayer counters, tonsuring zones and open spaces to relax are like set pieces that one will find in a south Indian temple.

Marudhamalai temple in the western ghats and Views of Coimbatore

That apart, the city is infected with the regular clothing super stores, Jewelry marts and Multiplex Malls. The clothing stores are multi storied, each to cater to a particular member of the family and the owners have made a sincere effort to infuse order and a service mindset in to their employees. The lighting, music and fragrance pull you to the counters and before you can breathe again, the counter salesman is sizing you up and trying to understand your preferences. Limited seating space ensures that you are constantly on the move, checking out things and constantly in the battle of buy v/s don’t buy. The sheer inventory, options, customizations, alteration facilities and patient customer service ensures that offline purchasing still shines despite the onslaught of online retail.

A Dazzling textile store with something for everyone

The Upanishads contains the phrase वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् (Vasudaiva Kutumbakam) or “The world is one Family”. The elders are letting go of their attachments and re-discovering themselves in the midst of new families and surroundings.

A significant public acknowledgement and celebration of World Tourism Day 2015 in India. 1 Billion tourists and 1 Billion Opportunities – The positive intent towards tourism is visible with ease of travel through e-visa currently in place for over 113 countries. 29 states and 7 union territories can combine to offer mind-blowing journeys for which one life time is not sufficient. With Narmada Holidays

Words written by Kantakabi Laxmikanta Mohapatra, when Odisha (www.odisha.gov.in) (Orissa till 2011) became independent on the 1st of April 1936.

Odisha’s etymology is “Odda Visaya” dating back to 1025 AD. It was historically also known as Kalinga which was conquered by Emperor Ashoka and also led him to take up a pacifist approach and ultimately embrace Buddhism.

Is Odisha the topmost travel destination in the country? Well, not at the moment but it is getting there. With Odisha tourism (www.odishatourism.gov.in) rebranding Odisha as a Scenic, Serne and Sublime destination, the state seems to be getting in to the “must visit” list of every discerning traveller. Mention Odisha and two things come to mind – The Jagannath Puri temple and the Konark Sun temple. Odisha offers a generous mix of religion, architecture, art, wildlife, food and of course a lot of beautiful beaches. Let us head to Odisha….

Bhubaneshwar is the capital and the most important Railhead on the east coast and a well-serviced airport. September was a pretty good month to visit Odisha; The scorching summer had abated and there was rain in good measure. Mumbai is well connected to Bhubaneshwar and preferred to take the Indigo connection. They had a morning service that would take us to the doorstep of our hotel, Trident Bhubaneshwar in time for a check in at 12 noon. The Bhubaneshwar airport is fairly large and quite clean. Our tour was planned by Narmada Holidays in collaboration with a local partner for logistics. We planned a visit spanning 4 nights and 5 days; ‘Longer duration trips can take you to the tribal hinterlands apart from the main highlights. Our vehicle for the next 5 days was a Toyota Innova which is a spacious SUV which can seat 5 people and yet have ample space for all the luggage. The ride to the city was on wide and extremely clean roads; comfortable and enjoyable at the same time.

Day 1 – Check in done, it was time to get a good lunch for ourselves. Odiya cuisine offers excellent options for sea-food lovers and meat eaters alike. Being a coastal state the catch is among the freshest. For vegetarians, there is nothing to sweat as there are plenty of delicious options still around. We preferred a Santula (A vegetable stew with cumin and chillies) to go with our rice and Indian bread. A few hours rest and we were ready for our tour

Our first stop was the historical Udayagiri (sunrise hill) and Khandagiri caves. These caves are situated near Bhubaneshwar; Partly natural and partly artificial, the caves are of archeological, historical and religious importance. The archeological survey of India maintains the monuments; There are tickets to be purchased for foreign nationals whereas entry is free for Indian and SAARC nationals. There are a total of 33 caves within the precinct of the hills. The most important among these are the Ranigumpha (Rani – Queen, Gumpha – Cave) in Udayagiri, which is a double storeyed monastery and Hathigumpha (Hathi – elephant). The top of Khandagiri cave is a short climb and it offers fine views of Bhubaneshwar from its summit. Spend a couple of hours here refreshed with the cool evening breeze and a magnificent view of the setting sun.

Evenings in Bhubaneshwar are either spent shopping or eating roadside snacks. A popular snack that we sampled was a cup of sprouted pulses, spiced up and garnished with onions, tomatoes, potatoes, lime and coriander. Cheap and nutritious, this one was quite a filler and gave us the energy to move around. Our guide got us to the Market Building shopping area which houses a lot of handloom and handicraft showrooms, book shops and other assorted shops. The local Handicrafts and handloom are promoted by a government showroom called Utkalika which has branches across the state. Priyadarshini, another handloom organization promotes traditional handloom of odisha – Tusser, Sambalpur and Ikkat. We window shopped and made enquiries to our hearts content. September is when the country celebrates Ganesh Chathurti (Festival of the Elephant god – Lord Ganesh). The streets were lined with finely decorated pandals housing the idols of the Lord. We were in time for the evening prayers following which Prasad was distributed among all the devotees. The Harekrishna Restaurant in Kharabela Nagar offers simple and excellent vegetarian fare, which helps keep you light before retiring for the day.

Day 2 – The nandankanan Zoo or The Garden of Gods houses a Zoological park and a Botanical garden. Located about 8 kms from Bhubaneshwar, the Zoo is a great outdoor experience for all ages. The park is well maintained and is a plastic free zone. We hired the services of a park ranger who was able to articulate the details around history of the zoo, the animals who are being reared in captivity and recent additions. The park ranger gave us valuable insights in to animal behavior, especially of the captive lions and Tigers. The Safari is not to be missed and one has to keep a watch on the timings for the same. Half a day well spent! Don’t forget to munch on a spicy cucumber sold on push carts outside the Zoo. Lunch on day 2 was at a place called Dalma, which offered local Odiya veg cuisine comprising of Dalma (lentil dish), vegetables, Indian bread and of course, Rice. Delicious and economical, it filled us up after a good 5 hours spent at Nandankanan on a hot and humid day.

Temple time! Bhubaneshwar is a city of temples and there are over 50 of them and most of them are built to honor Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva. These temples are dated between 8th and the 12th century AD. It is said that King Ashoka developed a simple way of communicating with people of his kingdom. Rocks and stone poles were used to communicate his policy of Dhamma through edicts. Travel 5 miles south of the modern city to find a few of them. Standing out among these temples are the Parasurameshwar temple and the Lingaraj temple. The Parasurameshwar temple has stories carved all around it and it is worth taking the services of the temple priest to help you understand the finer details of the same. Make sure that your next stop is the Lingaraj temple, the largest and one of the oldest in Bhubaneshwar. Non-Hindus can take photos of the architecture from a machan like structure erected outside the western wall of the temple. Bhubaneshwar was also called “Ekamra Kshetra” as the deity Lingaraj was originally found under a Mango tree (Ekamra). On the whole, the temple is considered a guardian deity of the city. With enough time left in the evening, head out to shop for leather, handicrafts and other collectibles.

Day 3 – The Konark temple beckoned us. Situated on the coast, this temple, a UNESCO world Heritage site, is approximately 65 kms from Bhubaneshwar. We had planned a good 2 hours to tour the temple complex with the help of an authorized guide. Konark comes from the combination of the Sanskrit words – Kona (corner) and Arka (sun); This temple thus is dedicated to the Sun god. An umbrella comes in handy during the tour. Make sure that you observe each of the 24 wheels, each telling you a different story. The Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore says of the temple, “Here the language of stone surpasses the language of Man”. The road from Konark to Puri is dotted with pristine white sand beaches and rain trees lining the road. The temple town is one of the 4 holiest of places (char dham) in India and is home to the Jagannath temple and seat of the Puri Mutt (one of the four set up by the Adi Shankaracharya). The temple of Jagannatha is one of the tallest monuments in the entire. sub-continent of India and its height is about 214 feet from the ground (road) level. It stands on a ‘raised platform of stone, measuring about ten acres. It. is located in the hear! of the town and presents an imposing sight. The largest crowd in Puri is seen during the Car Festival of Jagannatha which takes place every year some time in June-July. The idols in the temple are made of the Margosa Tree (Neem) and they are replaced with a new Idol once in 14 years in an elaborate festival called Nabakalabera (New Body); Year 2015 is one such year. There are hotels to cater to every budget in puri and our stay was a comfortable one at the Hans Coco Palms. A good number of them are on the beach front and during heavy showers, the rain just lashes on the windows and doors, just right for you to order some pakoras and tea. The beach front also houses shacks selling fresh sea food and fried snacks. Apart from the temple, the alleys surrounding the temple house shops selling variety of knick knacks, milk based sweets and fresh milk based products.

Day 4- The Chilika lake, world’s second largest lagoon is a day trip from Chilika. The brackish water lagoon is spread over 1100 sq kms and is home to over 160 species of migratory birds. The Irrawady Dolphin calls this place home and tourists set out in trawlers and catamarans to enjoy the marine fauna. Our trip to Chilika was cancelled owing to a fierce cyclone. Shrugging shoulders we headed back to Bhubaneshwar and planned to stop by at Raghurajpur, home to artisans skilled in Pattachitra. Everyday stories are handpainted on cloth and these families have been pursuing this art since the 5th century. The art has a Geographical indication thus protecting them from fakes. The street in Raghurajpur is lined with families on both sides and they welcome you in to their homes to show you live demonstrations and also offer finished work for sale. A little bargaining can get you some authentic and eye-catching work. More to come, the village of Pipli on the way to Bhubaneshwar is home to the Applique form of Handicrafts. The word Applique has a French origin and it involves placing one piece of fabric over a base layer and sewing it in place. The concept is used extensively in canopies, umbrellas and on the chariots of Jagannath temple. You can plan to pick up exquisitely designed bags, totes, umbrellas and other items, which are a nice gift to take back home. For those of you interested in unique things, pay a visit to the Bhubaneshwar Railway station, an important stop on the line to Kolkata. I am personally a fan of trains and train stations and consider stations akin to a cultural destination, a place where non-homogenous people converge. Retired after a good dinner at Hotel

Day 5 – We still had one place to visit and that was the Museum of Tribal Arts and Artefacts. Tribes constitute about 22% of the state’s population (9% of the country) and as per last count, there are close to 62 distinct tribes of which 13 of them have been classified as “particularly vulnerable groups”. The local government has done an admirable job in curating arts and artefacts belonging to these tribes and presently house them in the Museum of Tribal arts and Artefacts. This must-do item helps one understand the state and India as a country and how it is trying to balance between preserving indigenous population against the need to industrialize. Hopping over to a few sweet shops to sample a local sweet called Chhena Phoda made of caramelized cottage cheese. With that sweet ending, we made our way to the friendly Bhubaneshwar airport in time for a check in for our flight to Mumbai.